A Midwinter Carol
by Lela-of-Bast
Summary: A new version of the classic holiday story, staring everyone's favorite blue-eyed sergeant. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

**A Midwinter Carol  
****Chapter One**

Stacks of paperwork towered over Dom's desk. He glanced up at one, then went back to work. Six years earlier, Dom had gotten the news that his older brother, Cailan, was dead. His death elevated Dom to lordship of Masbolle. The fief he inherited was in desperate financial trouble, and it took Dom a very long time to get everything straightened out.

Now every ledger in Masbolle was kept with painstaking accuracy. As the overlord, Dom took very seriously his responsibilities of keeping the castle and the surrounding land. He saw to every detail himself.

Dom was a very busy man. A typical day began with a light breakfast, during which Dom opened and read safety reports from nearby fiefs. Then he would move into his study to pass several hours reviewing accounts, books, and letters.

On this particular day, a letter from his mother was among the dispatches. Dom opened it first.

_My dearest Domitan,_

_I hope that this letter finds you in good health and spirits. I am well, and have been enjoying the time I spent in the warm south. Legann is as lovely as ever. I spent nearly every day on the beach._

Dom skimmed the rest of the letter. He was slightly interesting in the going-ons at Port Legann,, but a attack of papers on his desk was winning the battle for his attention. Near the end of the letter, he started reading again.

_As nice as the warmth was, it just isn't Midwinter without snow. I've decided to go to Queenscove for the holidays. I know you're busy at home, Dom, but I'm sure you could spare a little time to visit. Aunt Kristina would love to see you._

_I miss you too, Dom. I often think of the way things used to be, when you and Cailan were children. How happy we all were! I hope one day, we can be together at Midwinter and be happy once again._

_Take care of yourself._

_All my Love,_

_Mother_

Dom set the letter down with a sigh. He already knew that he would not be going to Queenscove. He just didn't feel like celebrating Midwinter anymore. What was the point?

Spending money that could be saved seemed silly. Besides, he had to compare trade offers from other fiefs.

It was late when Dom finally stopped working. Since his view didn't conform to the general consensus, Dom gave the servants the holiday off. He found his own supper, though it had given him a burning sensation in his chest. At first only greasy foods caused his indigestion, but lately he felt that way no matter what he ate.

Dom settled himself in an armchair placed near the fireplace. The warmth given off by the still-orange embers felt good. Dom blew out the candle that lit the room and pulled a crocheted blanket over his lap.

It was quite dark. So when the room filled with a blazing green light, Dom startled to say the least. He jumped out of his seat, the blanket sliding to the floor, and looked all around the room. At first he saw no one. Then all of a sudden, a figure appeared, floating just in front of him.

The apparition crossed his arms, looking down at Dom.

"Cailan?" Dom whispered. The ghost, arms crossed over his chest, shook his head disapprovingly.

"This isn't much of a life, Little Brother."

Dom was blinking rapidly, trying to make sense of the situation. "It's not real," he said to himself. "It's just indigestion."

His brother's ghost chuckled. "Could indigestion do this?" he asked. He lowered himself to the floor and walked towards, and then through, Dom. The still-living brother felt a terrifying cold as the shadow passed through his body. He shivered. Just as suddenly it was gone. Cailan came to face him again.

"How can this be?" Dom demanded.

"I was sent here to warn you, Dom. Your life is spiraling down a dangerous road. If you keep going as you have, your death will not be peaceful, or slow in coming. Chains are forged by our acts of greed." For the first time Dom noticed that his brother was draped in links of chain. Cailan's eyes followed his brother's. He fingered a specific link. "This one is for the time I passed up an old lady who was begging for food, and this one for when I turned away a homeless lad and his puppy. It's a gruesome drapery, but this chain is nothing in comparison with the one that is being prepared in your name, Little Brother."

"What can I do?" Dom asked, beginning to feel nervous.

"You must observe the error in your ways and correct it," Cailan said, sinking into Dom's chair. The ghost leaned back, crossing his legs comfortably.

"How?" Dom insisted.

"Never fear, Little Dom. You will not be alone. Three spirits will guide you through your journey. You will journey through your life with the Ghosts of Midwinters Past, Present, and Future. Expect the first ghost at first bell."

"I've had enough haunting to last me a lifetime," Dom told his long-dead brother. Once again, Cailan chuckled.

"At first bell," he insisted. Cailan began to disappear. Then his head resumed semi-opacity. "Tell Mum I miss her."

In an instant Dom was alone. He took a deep breath.

"Indigestion," he whispered, with a tone of finality.

* * *

**AN: **So that was the first chapter of my Christmas story. I'm excited about this one. I wrote most of it last year, but it was too late to post it. But now that all the Christmas stuff is out in Wal-Mart, I can finally post it. It's going to follow the original very closely, but I am adding my own little twists. I mean, how boring would it be if I followed the movie dialogue word-for-word?

Anyways, let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Midwinter Carol  
****Chapter Two**

The first bell after midnight rang through Masbolle with a loud _clang_! Dom woke with a start, panting to catch his breath. The bell wasn't usually so loud. He reminded himself to go the bell-tower the next day and reprimand whoever was on duty.

Realizing what time it was, Dom lit a candle and yanked the bed-curtains open. He gazed around the room. Satisfied that he didn't see any ghosts, Dom fell back into his pillows, ready to sleep.

A moment later, a soft glow filled the room. It started off small, like a firefly, then grew until it was as tall as a donkey. As the light dimmed, Dom made out the shape of a small boy. A clear, high tone rang out when the Spirit's mouth opened. It sounded like a slow, mournful, wordless song.

"What are you?" Dom asked.

"I am the Ghost of Midwinters Past," the lad said.

"But you're just a little boy," Dom told him. "I don't see how you can help me."

"I've been around for hundreds of Midwinters, and will be for thousands more. Now, Domitan of Masbolle, our journey begins." The Spirit raised one hand and snapped his fingers briskly.

Dom felt a breeze and was immediately blinded by a brilliant flash of light. When his sight recovered, he looked around. He was standing in a foot of snow near the door to Masbolle's stables.

A little boy's giggles caught his attention. Dom turned around to see a man and woman, both decked in warm fur wraps. They were watching their sons inside of a fenced-in area. The older boy was leading the younger around the corral on a brand-new pony.

"Does this scene tickle your memory?" the Spirit asked as Dom watched.

"I was seven. My brother gave me my first pony," Dom mumbled. His eyes fixed on his young self.

"Faster Cailyn!" he cried, glee showing on his face.

"Only if I can hold the reigns," Cailyn said, jumping up behind his brother. He urged the spotted pony into a canter.

"Be careful!" their mother called. The real Dom turned his attention to his parents. Lady Willany was watching her sons with twinkling eyes. She leaned her head against her husband's shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around her. His eyes twinkled too, with pride.

"They loved each other very much," the Spirit commented. Dom didn't say anything. He was reliving the pain of losing half the family.

A few moments later, Cailan led the pony to his parents and helped his brother dismount. Once his feet touched the ground, little Dom threw his arms around his brother.

"She's the best pony ever! Thank you!"

"What are you going to call the little lady?" Lord Gawayn asked.

"I don't know," Dom said. "What do you think, Mama?"

"Hmm," Willany said thoughtfully. "She seemed to like it when your da called her Lady."

"Hi, Lady," little Dom said, running his chubby fingers down the pony's neck and mane. The pony nuzzled his shoulder playfully. Cailan passed him an apple for a treat.

As the scene began to fade, Dom fixed his eyes on his family, trying to burn the image into his mind.

"That was our last Midwinter as a family. That summer my father died after he had a stroke. My mother hasn't been the same since."

"Very good. You've discovered one part of the puzzle. Let us move on," the Spirit said. For a second time, Dom's vision was blinded by light.

Three seconds later, Dom and the Spirit were standing in the mess hall of the King's Own. The room was decorated. Pine boughs were hung in arches from the rafters, held in place by bright red bows. Centerpieces of holly graced the tables. This was the King's Own and Queen's Riders' annual Midwinter party.

The two branches had started having combined holiday gatherings after the wedding of Lord Raoul and Buri. The parties were always interesting affairs. Even before they became drunk, the partygoers danced and made merry.

Dom looked around. He saw himself, seven years younger, sprawled on a bench and at a table with Corporal Wolset and several others. Dice rolled between them.

"Who had sixes?" The player who sat with their back to the real Dom gathered a pile of coins to herself. She wore a loose-fitting gown of red velvet. It was a simple design that suited her mouse-brown hair well.

"Kel," Dom said to the Spirit. "We were so happy."

"Me again," Kel said with a grin.

"'These dice loaded?" Lerant drawled.

"I think she's a seer!" another man added. The Dom at the table grinned lightly.

"She just had a good teacher," he said with a wink. After Kel cleared his friends out again, Dom decided that he'd better remove her from the table before an argument started.

"How 'bout some music?" he suggested.

After a murmur of agreement, someone was soon sawing away at a fiddle, while others accompanied with a flute and tambourine. Wolset even coaxed tones from an ale jug that he'd previously emptied.

The sound was lively and cheerful, much different from what was played at the stuffy noble balls. Soon people were dancing.

"May I have this dance?" Dom said to Kel, bowing grandiosely. She grinned and accepted. Neither one of them knew the steps to the country dance, so they just moved to the beat, Kel copying Dom's lead and forgiving him when he stepped on her feet. Watching now, Dom knew they were a sight.

As the night wore on, Raoul and Buri teased them, a drunken Wolset pledged his undying love to a chicken, and three Riders serenaded the queen. When the last dance ended the vision-Dom took his Kel's arm and they walked out of the room. Dom followed the shadows down the corridors to Kel's room.

They stood outside the door, her back to it. Dom's arms went about her waist, and Kel blushed.

"Lord Raoul made me promise that I wouldn't let you go to bed without kissing you," the vision-Dom breathed. Kel smiled and he leaned forward to kiss her. As his lips met hers, Kel fumbled for the doorknob.

A moment later her door swung open and Dom stopped kissing Kel.

"Would you like to come in?" When Dom hesitated, Kel added, "Please."

They kissed again, Dom picking Kel up with one arm behind her back and the other underneath her knees. The door closed behind him and the lock clicked. The real Dom and the Spirit were alone in the hallway.

"The next day I found out that Cailan was dead. Kel held me then, and we were truly happy for a time. But I had to step up and be Masbolle's heir. Our relationship became strained."

"Now we will see another Midwinter with this young lady, one year later."

In a moment Dom stood in his all too familiar study. He saw himself sitting at his desk. Kel stood in the hallway for a moment as if gathering strength. Then she came into the room.

"Spirit, I don't want to see this," Dom said.

"Too bad," the young apparition replied. "It's good for you; think of it as eating your emotional vegetables." Dom didn't say anything else, just watched as the terrible scene unfolded before him.

"Hi, Dom," Kel said gently. He looked up from his paperwork for a brief moment and nodded. She perched on the edge of the desk. "I've been thinking; we need to talk," she continued. Dom mumbled a reply. "I want to get married."

This caught his attention. Dom looked up at her.

"Kel, this isn't the right time. I'm still trying to figure out how to balance being the heir of Masbolle with you and the Own."

"Dom, you haven't been in the Own since Cailan died. Not really," Kel disputed. "You just sit here with your books and ledgers. I know you're trying to be a good overlord to Masbolle, but you're losing yourself in that quest. Oh Dom, you used to laugh and joke, and pull pranks. Now you lock yourself away everyday. Being Lord of Masbolle is destroying you."

Dom snapped a book shut. "You don't know what I'm going through," he said icily.

"And I probably never will," Kel said softly. "I can't wait anymore. My time for that is gone."

"What do you mean?" Dom asked, looking up. The real Dom's eyes stung as he remembered meeting Kel's tearful hazel eyes.

"I'm going home Dom, to Mindelan. I can't stay here and watch you work yourself to death. I _won't_."

"But Kel- I love you." She slipped a handkerchief out of her pocket and onto his desk.

"You did, once. Now it's gone. You care only for money."

"That's for us, Kel," Dom heard himself say in defense. "That's all so that we and our children will have a comfortable life."

Kel looked pained when he mentioned the life that they could have had.

"No Dom- you're doing all of this for _you_. You feel like you need to live up to a promise you made to your family- and I respect that." She gently brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes. "Your honor was one of the things I loved most about you."

The kiss Kel gave him was warm and tender. With overfull eyes, she pulled away. "Good bye, Dom."

She slipped through the door and was gone.

"Go after her," the real Dom yelled to his spirit-self. "Go before it's too late." But the vision-Dom sat back down, face stunned. He unfolded the handkerchief that Kel had set down. Her engagement band lay in the center of the cloth. It seemed like the final word. After the better part of an hour, he would go back to work.

"I was such a fool," Dom said to no one, even though the child-spirit hovered at his side.

"After Lady Kel left you, you grew bitter, and your lands and money possessed you. That's what you live for now," the spirit said, pure voice shattering the quiet.

"Leave me!" Dom ordered. He didn't feel like sharing his pain with a know-it-all ghost. The spirit vanished, fading slowly away, and Dom was in his own bed again.

He felt a lump in his throat, and hot tears in his eyes. The next hour would not be a pleasant one.

* * *

**AN:** Okay, so there's chapter two. Hopefully that explained how Dom got the way he was. There was a lot of concern that he would get to OOC, but grief will do that to a person. Let's see if the Ghosts of Midwinter can help him.

Speaking of ghosts, mine may seem kind of familiar to you. I saw one version of the story where the ghosts were people that Scrooge recognized, and that stuck with me. It may not be crystal-clear, but see if you can recognize who they are based on. Clue: they are all characters in "Lady Knight."

Until next time- happy reading!

**Review Replies:**  
**CopperIslander:** Thanks for reading! **Dommylove:** By now you know that Kel is in the story. I appreciate your compliment. **X17SkmBdrchiczxx:** I actually started writing this with Cleon as the main character, but I had a hard time making it flow, so I cut him from the story, and reworked it with Dom. After all, blue is much prettier than gray. Lol. **SarahE7191:** Wyldon seemed to cliché, and I have a hard time writing anything with Joren in it, so I picked Dom. I think it works nicely, especially in future chapters. Thanks for giving it a chance. **Lady Leopard:** Thanks! **Lady Zarobiti:** Weird old speech is fine with me. Thanks for the review! **Secret-scribbled-notebooks:** I had trouble finding the new review button too. Thanks for reading! **Spottyslope: **Thanks for reading! **Queenankhesenamun:** Thanks for the review! **Ally-Marty:** The story is set after Lady Knight. Kel's whereabouts are still under wraps. It will come to play in the next chapter, I believe. Thanks for reading! **Oirishgoddess:** Thanks for reading! **Maggierg09:** I read the book, but I've seen a bunch of different movie versions, and they seem to stick with me better. (I LOVE the musical version with Kelsey Grammer. I watched it twice in August, just because I could.) Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**A Midwinter Carol  
Chapter Three**

The second bell was louder than the first. Dom sighed, getting up from his chair. After seeing his sad past, he couldn't sleep. Instead, he had spent the time thinking over what he had seen, reliving the moment that Kel left over and over again. It had felt like ten hours passed, even though it was just barely one.

Dom was expecting a small glow, like with the previous ghost, but he saw nothing. He was about to give up and collapse back into his chair, when he saw a bright glow from the next room.

Dom went into the parlor. The fireplace had lit itself and was sending merry light patterns against the walls. The whole room was decorated with evergreen boughs, holly, and red berries. A long table had appeared against one wall, and it was covered with food: roasted geese and pheasants, pies and pastries, breads and vegetables.

In his chair, a robust ghost was reclined, feet resting on the edge of the table. This Spirit was much more colorful than the last one. Over a plain white shirt and tan breeches, he wore a soft green robe trimmed in fur. In his brown curls there was a wreath of holly.

"Hello, Domitan," he said merrily, tapping a staff against the table leg.

"The Ghost of Midwinter Present?" Dom inquired.

"Of course. Now that introductions are over, let's get started," the Spirit said, lifting his staff and letting it thump heavily on the ground. Instantly they were transported to another place.

"That was quick," Dom said.

"I've been told I waste too much time. Let's make this to the point," the Spirit replied. Shaking his head, Dom looked around him. He was in the infirmary of the Kings Own, a place where had been many times while he was still a member of the corps.

Lord Raoul was standing over the bed of Dom's friend Wolset. Raoul looked more or less the same as he did the last time Dom had seen him. However Wolset was a different case. His left leg was bandaged from his toe nearly to his thigh, raised by a pulley. His right arm was encased in another bandaged and secured closed to his chest. A dark bruise surrounded one of his eyes, running into his hair, which was slightly charred, as though fire had scorched it. He was a mess.

"I just don't understand why, Wolset," Raoul said. The man looked away.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said gruffly.

"Very well. I'll give you a few days. I really don't want to give you papers of dismissal, but if I have no other choice…" Raoul warned. "Wolset, you're one of the best men left in the Own. Don't push me in a direction we'll both regret."

Wolset remained silent. Raoul sighed, telling him to think about it. The Giantkiller then retreated into the hallway.

"Get anything?" Buri asked, not moving from where she had been leaning against the wall.

"Not a word," Raoul said. "The pranks between the Own and the Riders used to be nothing more than lighthearted camaraderie. Now they're going too far. A fire that burned down the whole Rider's barracks? What was he thinking? He's lucky no one got hurt."

"If you'd like to pause for a minute, I think I can offer explanation," a tall, lean man said, stepping out of the shadows.

"Gods, Larse. You always got the jump on me," Raoul said. "What do you got now?"

"My corporal, Riley Lakisra, came forward," Evin explained. "She told me that Wolset didn't start the fire. Apparently he in the barracks to spend the night with her. I strongly suspect that Sergeant Eliver took advantage of the situation and framed your Wolset. Eliver has quite the temper, and he never did settle the scores with that Masbolle."

"What does Domitan have to do with it?" Buri asked. Raoul snorted.

"The year that Dom joined the Own, Eliver also applied. They were both accepted into training, but Dom excelled and eventually, Eliver dropped out and joined the Riders. Eliver's family was not too proud of his decision, and he blamed Dom for it."

"I remember that. Quite a stupid reason to burn down the barracks," Buri remarked.

"Well in recent years, Eliver has become more eccentric. Just before Dom's father died, he and Wolset set a trap over one of the doors in the necessary. Eliver was the lucky winner. He came directly to me to complain," Evin continued. "It's quite hard to take a man seriously when he's covered in pig excrement."

"If you remember correctly I laughed when Miri pushed you in the pigpen," Buri said.

"Good times," Evin said. "Good times."

"Anyways, Dom had a way of soothing over his victims that Wolset never picked up on."

"I was hoping you could make Wolset your second in command," Buri said. "But I don't think anyone will go for that, now that his name is associated with this."

Raoul shook his head.

"The Own just isn't the same without Domitan."

At this point Dom turned to the Spirit. "This is fascinating, but how is it relevant?" he asked.

"Oops. I didn't mean to end up in Corus. Oh well, now you got to see what happened to the Own without you. It kind of stinks," the ghost said, raising his staff. "Let's move on." He struck the ground once more, and Dom, more confused than ever before, found himself in a new setting.

Even when placed in a random corridor, he recognized Queenscove's castle from many childhood days spent running through the palace with his cousins.

"This is more like it," the ghost said, leading Dom through the halls. Eventually a sigh caught Dom's attention. He peered into the little room that it came from to see his mother. Though she was in her early fifties, she was still very pretty. Her hair was just beginning to gray, but Dom couldn't tell, because she'd caught it up in a silver net. Her dress was a dark shade of blue with tiny blue flowers patterned all over it. She sighed again and turned a page in her book.

She was sitting on the floor, skirts and several volumes surrounding her. Walking closer, Dom could see that the books were her diaries. He remembered her writing every day when he was a little boy. He knelt and read her neat, swirling handwriting on the page that she was looking at.

_We gave Domitan his first pony today. He was so happy, galloping around the courtyard in the snow. Cailan was excited for his little brother and he led him around on foot. It has been one of our best midwinters yet; I love seeing my boys smile_.

Dom stopped reading when he heard the voice of his youngest cousin, Henrietta.

"Aunt Willany?" she called. Dom's mother put aside her journals and looked up at her niece with a smile.

"Yes, Henny?" she asked. The pretty green-eyed girl came into the room. Her honey-colored hair was tied back with a velvet bow.

"There you are," she said, helping her aunt to her feet. "Mama sent me to fetch you. Supper is ready." Willany smiled, but it didn't light her eyes as her smiles always had when Dom was a boy.

"I'm coming," she said, setting her diaries in a neat stack on a table. Dom's thirteen-year-old cousin watched her.

"Are you sad, Aunt Willany?" Henny asked.

"I just miss my boys," Willany said, putting an arm around the girl. Henny grinned.

"Then come downstairs. Mama is making us sing Midwinter carols, like she did when we were little. I'll make Berk do funny voices, like Cousin Dom used to. That'll be sure to cheer you up!"

"That would be lovely." Willany smiled again and left the room with her niece. Dom turned to the Spirit.

"I really made her sad, didn't I?" he said blankly. "Cailan's gone, and now she hardly ever sees me."

The Spirit of Midwinter Present picked up his staff and gave Dom a solid whack on the head.

"How dare you make your mother cry!" he scolded.

"Ow!" Dom said, hands flying up to his crown. "It's not like I did it on purpose!"

"She's still crying. And at Midwinter too!" the Spirit pointed out. He raised his staff. "I ought to hit you again."

"Let's just move on," Dom said, still blocking his head with his arms.

"Fine," the Spirit said. The staff went down and snapped against the ground.

"Where are we?" Dom asked. From the deep snow, he gathered that he was now in the north, and in some fief, by the looks of the land. The spirit didn't answer Dom, only led on into the small castle.

Two men walked past them, deep in conversation.

"Piers, Mindelan has never given a finer reception," one said to the other. _Piers_, thought Dom.

"That's Kel's father," he said to the spirit. "This is Mindelan."

The apparition nodded. Dom watched carefully, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kel, but it was her mother who entered the hallway. She was instructing servants to take something to Kel's rooms. The servants passed, carrying several trunks, and a small cane.

Kel's voice carried into the hallway from the stairwell. Dom quickly spun around.

"It's good to be home, isn't it?" Kel herself appeared, carrying a child who could have been no more than five. The girl's brown hair was pulled back in two braids that bounced as she nodded her head. Her bright blue eyes sparkled as she talked and giggled with Kel.

"Who's that?" Dom asked, looking at the spirit.

"That is Keladry's little girl, Tiama. She's a jolly good girl. Her mother keeps her very happy."

For a moment Dom forgot that he was invisible to them and he tried to greet Kel as she passed. Ignored, Dom followed Kel into a room which was tastefully decorated in blended Yamani and Tortallan styles. Dom decided this was Kel's room.

The servants he had seen before set down the trunks and handed the cane to Tiama.

Kel let her daughter slip to the ground. Tiama settled herself, leaning on her cane. Dom felt his heart skip a beat as he realized that Tiama's left leg was twisted so badly that her foot almost pointed to her right heel.

The girl didn't even wince in pain. She hobbled quickly across the room to hug Kel's dog, Jump. As the servants left, a fresh face came in.

"Neal?" Dom said aloud.

"Neal?" Kel asked, giving him a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"My wife and I arrived here yesterday to spend Midwinter with you and Tia," he explained. Tiama turned in time to see him.

"Uncle Neal!" she squealed limping over to him. Neal lifted her up, hugging her tightly.

"Tiny Tia! Look how tall you've gotten!" he exclaimed. Tiama grinned.

"Mama took me to New Hope to visit. Uncle Tobe gave me a new staff. It has animals carved on it. Do you want to see it?"

"Of course," Neal said sincerely, setting the girl on the floor. She disappeared into her room to retrieve it from her trunks.

"Not that I don't want you around for Midwinter, but why are you really here?" Kel asked when her daughter was out of hearing range. Neal sighed, making doubly sure that the girl was out of earshot.

"I've found a healer who is strong enough to help Tia," he said. "This man, Hindran Kinesra, he can fix her leg so well that no one would ever know she'd been lame." Kel's face lit up but Neal's remained serious. "The price- well, he is a very special mage, and there are no others boasting his power. He can charge as much as he wants for his services."

Neal removed a sheet of parchment from a pocket in his overrobe and handed it to Kel. She studied the writing on it. Her look was one of unquestionable shock.

"Mindelan can't even spare half of this sum!" she said miserably. Kel sunk into a chair, head in her hands. "What am I going to do?"

"We can raise the money," Neal offered.

"We have to try," Kel said. "The disease is spreading farther than just her leg. She gets short of breath too easily, Neal. My little girl doesn't have long before it will be too late to help her."

As Tia returned and began to show Neal all the animals on her staff, Dom turned to the Spirit.

"What will happen to Tiama?" he asked. "Will she die?"

"Well, I'm not sure. I'm of the present. But if things stay the way they are, Tiny Tia will not live long."

"Who is her father?" Dom said after a moment of sad silence. "Who wouldn't care about Kel enough to help her with his child?"

"You," the Spirit said. "Who else?"

Dom took the blow hard, as the apparition had intended. He watched Tiama as she imitated animals. She was a very animated child. A smile always seemed to be on her face. He was fascinated with her. She was his daughter.

All too quickly, the figures faded. In a moment Dom was sitting back on his bed. His daughter was hundreds of miles away, warm with her mother in Mindelan. Another long hour loomed ahead of him, and Dom knew that there was no falling asleep.

**

* * *

AN:** I know I have given this ghost away too easily. I didn't think I'd had that many clues for the last one, but everyone who guessed said the correct answer, which is Tobe. I meant to update last Thursday, but haven't been able to get an internet connection. I hope everyone in the US had a great Thanksgiving. Thanks for all the great reviews!

**Review Replies:**  
**imakeladrygirl:** Thanks for the review! **brezzybrez:** Thanks for reading. **AlyxtheDarkWanderer:** I may or may not take your hint. I haven't decided yet. Thanks for your review. **x17SkmBdrchiczxx:** Neal had a spot int he Midwinter present! Thanks for reading! **Lady Leopard:** Thanks for reading! **SarahE7191:** Did this chapter feel as rushed? I think it probably did. **Lady Zarobiti:** Tobe. Great guess. Thanks for reading! **oirishgoddess:** Thanks for reading & reviewing! **Lady Janna: **Thanks! **Arianna Cullen:** Thanks for your review!


	4. Chapter 4

**A Midwinter Carol  
Chapter Four**

The third ghost appeared exactly as the bell tolled. It was a tall, shadowy figure, draped in dark, flowing robes. His face was shrouded as well.

"Are you the Ghost of Midwinter Future?" Dom asked. The spirit nodded slowly. As he finished, the world rushed around them. It was if their destination was coming to them.

They were standing in Raoul's study. Dom had the presence of mind to glance out the window. The famous Lake of Gold was frozen solid. Several ice-skaters weaved merrily on the ice. He turned his attention to his former Knight Commander.

Raoul set down the letter he had been reading with a sigh. "The world won't be as bright without her." Buri shook her head sadly.

"Poor Kel," she said quietly.

"I wish that Dom had come to his senses. He should have been there with them."

"Oh Raoul, don't mention things we can't change," Buri interrupted. "Kel is having such a hard time since she lost her little girl. I can't imagine being in her shoes."

"Oh Spirit no," Dom said, turning to the ghost. "Not Tia. She's so vibrant, so full of life. And Kel loves her so much. She can't be dead."

Dom saw no signs of response from the shadowy figure. After a moment the scene changed. Dom looked around to see the walls of a vaguely familiar corridor in Mindelan.

"No," he said softly. The door to Kel's room was at the end of the corridor. It was draped in black cloth.

Dom broke into a run, skidding to a stop in the doorway. The window, furniture, and mantle were also covered in black. Kel herself was dressed in a soft gray gown. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding Tia's cane across her knees.

Dom could read her sorrow in the slump of her shoulders. She cried, letting huge, breath-stealing sobs escaping her lips. Dom's heart broke. He crossed the room, dropping down to his knees in front of her.

"You don't deserve this," Dom whispered to Kel. "I should never have let you go. I love you."

"I still love you Dom," Kel sobbed. Dom leaped to his feet. It was as if she had heard his words. Dom reached out to touch Kel, but his hand passed through her. She was but a shadow. Kel slipped to the ground, back against the bed. She still cried.

A moment later Dom stood in a graveyard near Masbolle Castle. He recognized his father and brother's tombstones. A knot formed in his stomach as he realized what he was about to see.

Dom glanced up at the Ghost of the Future. The apparition raised a willowy hand, pointing his bony finger towards a specific grave marker. His robes flowed down to the ground from his arms, making gentle flapping noises in the breeze. Dom started towards the tomb. He dropped to his knees in front of the slab, tracing the letters with his finger.

"Here Lies Domitan of Masbolle," he read in a whisper. The Spirit's chilling, eerie green glow flowed over his shoulder. Dom glared at him.

"These are only shadows of things that might come to be. The slightest action can change the course of the future." As always, the specter stayed silent.

"I've wasted so much time," Dom said, now talking more to himself than to the Spirit. "I could have had a wife, and a daughter. Everything I ever needed was right there in front of me. I was so stupid!"

Angered, Dom drove a fist into the ground.

"There were so many people I could have helped. Instead I spent all my time trying to hoard money for Masbolle.

"Not anymore. If this cold grave is to be my fate, I'm going to make the best of the time I have left. I'm going to be there for Kel and Tia, and for my mother and Wolset."

He jumped to his feet.

"Send me home," Dom told the Spirit. "I've got a long trip ahead of me."

**AN:** An extremely short chapter, but I think it's rather effective. I'm going to get the resolution up next chance I get.

A BIG AND WARM THANK YOU TO ALL MY REVIEWERS!!!

Oh- this ghost is probably the most difficult to figure out. I think I liked the idea of the character in the whole grim-reaper costume more than I thought he was appropriately in-character.


	5. Chapter 5

**A Midwinter Carol**  
**Chapter Five**

Dom was near exhaustion when he rode through the gates of Mindelan. He'd made the four-day trip in just over two, stopping only to change horses when his tired too much to go on. He slept in blocks of just a few hours, sometimes on horseback. Dom was determined to spend the last day of Midwinter with Kel and their daughter- if Kel would have him back.

Though it was just before dawn, the Barony was already alive with movement. A groom took Dom's horse to the stable, claiming that the steed would have a well-earned rest. A steward greeted Dom, and settled him into a drawing room to wait.

Dom wandered over to the window, glancing outside at the brilliant white snow. A barrel-chested dog ran across the courtyard. Dom recognized Jump immediately. He remembered the days when he and Kel had shared a bed. No matter how many times Dom told him that dogs belonged on the floor, Jump would often plant himself between the two humans.

"Dom?" a male voice asked from the doorway. Dom turned to see his cousin looking at him expectantly.

"Hi, Meathead," he said weakly. Neal shook his head, drawing nearer to Dom.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Neal asked harshly. Dom sighed. He'd known that he might be met with resistance. Now he wished that he'd gotten some sleep between his journey and this confrontation.

"I came to see Kel," Dom said at last.

"You hurt her, Dom. Badly," Neal pointed out.

"I know Neal. I'm a jackass!" Dom exclaimed, looking back out the window. He continued quietly. "I want to make it up to her, and to our daughter."

"You know about Tia?" Neal asked. "Who told you?"

"You wouldn't believe me," Dom said.

"Indulge us, please," another voice said. Three men came into the room. Two of them were Kel's brothers, and the other was Baron Piers himself. Anders, the one who had spoken, closed the door, then took a seat on the edge of a table, while the others made themselves comfortable. Now everyone was sitting except for Dom.

"Well, I had this … visitor," Dom began.

"What kind of visitor?" Inness asked. Dom hesitated. He wondered if the four men would believe his tale. Dom himself wasn't sure if it had been real or just a very effective dream.

"It was my brother," he said at last.

"Cailan?" Neal asked. "That's impossible."

"I know," Dom agreed. He stammered through his story.

Kel's father looked thoughtful. "You must understand, Domitan, that Kel is my daughter, and Tia is my granddaughter. I'm not going to allow you back into their lives if you intend to hurt them again."

"Baron Piers, I never meant to hurt Kel," Dom began. Just then the door opened and Kel slipped into the room. Her face was riddled with confusion. She glanced at her four protectors and then at Dom. Her family and friends, especially Neal, didn't meet her eyes. It seemed that they were slightly ashamed at being caught trying to protect Kel.

"Leave us alone, please," she told them at last. The four men filed out of the room. As they left, Kel walked over to the window and looked out, just as Dom had done before. Dom stayed rooted to his spot, waiting for her to speak.

"What are you doing here, Dom?" she whispered when they were alone. She turned to him, searching his face with her eyes.

"I came to apologize. I was so wrong, Kel," Dom told her. He repeated his story. Somehow, telling it to Kel made it feel more real. "I love you," he finished. "Letting you just walk away was a huge mistake."

Kel remained silent. She wore her Yamani-mask expression, face smooth as a lake. Dom felt defeated. Kel didn't want him.

"If only we could turn back time," Dom said at last, unable to bear the silence any longer. "I understand that you need to protect yourself and Tiama. I'll go away, Kel."

"You idiot," she said, finally breaking the mask. "I've been waiting years for you to come to your senses. I'm not going to let you go now." Kel leaned forward and kissed Dom.

The kiss was filled with heat and passion. They clung to each other, reveling in the feeling of being together after so long.

Suddenly, Kel grasped Dom's hand and pulled him across the room.

"Where are we going?" Dom asked, head still spinning from the kiss.

"To see our daughter," Kel said simply. She pulled the door open and Neal toppled into the room. Stepping over the eavesdropper, Kel glared at her brothers and father, who were standing just behind him. She continued down the hall without a word to them, still towing Dom along.

"Are her eyes really blue?"

Kel smiled over her shoulder. "Just like yours," she said. They twisted through corridors and up staircases. Dom asked several more questions, and Kel answered them candidly.

"Do you think she'll like me?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Kel asked, stopping in front of an open door. She took both of Dom's hands in her own and kissed his cheek. "Good luck."

Dom peered into the room. In a chair facing the hearth, Tiama was sitting on her grandmother's lap. Lady Ilane was reading to the little girl, from a book filled with her own water colors.

"And though the princess was forever cursed, the frog lived happily ever after. The end," Lady Ilane finished.

"I like that story, grandmother," Tiama said.

"It was one of your mother's favorites when she was young," Ilane told her granddaughter.

"Knock, knock," Kel said cheerfully, entering the room.

"Hi, Mama!" Tia said, holding out her arms. Kel kneeled in front of the little girl.

"Tiama, do you remember when you and I talked about your da?"

"Yes," the girl said sweetly. She nodded, and her pigtails bobbed against her shoulders.

"I'll give you some privacy," Lady Ilane said, standing. She brushed past Dom, giving his arm a quick squeeze as she passed.

"You're my da?" Tiama asked, looking up at him.

"Yes, I am," Dom said, getting down beside Kel. "And I'm very sorry I haven't been here for-" He was cut off by his daughter's tiny arms as they wrapped around his neck. He was startled by how good it felt to hug her.

Dom held his daughter close, kissing the top of her head. A growing lump in his throat, he looked at Kel, who was whipping happy tears out of his eyes.

"You tell Neal to get that healer here as soon as he can," he told her.

"What healer?" Tia asked.

"Uncle Neal as found a mage who can fix your leg," Kel said softly. She turned her gaze back to Dom. "But it's very expensive."

"She's my _daughter, _Kel. I'll take care of it."

**…..One Year Later…..**

"_Ding dong merrily on high,  
Midwinter bells are ringing  
Ding dong verily the skies,__  
Are filled with stormwings singing_-"

Tiama skipped happily around the carriage, singing at the top of her lungs.

"Tia, wait for us," Dom called. He turned back into the carriage, giving Kel his arm. As she climbed down the stairs, she put a hand to her aching back. She was due to give birth to their second child in less than a fortnight.

The little family was returning home from Corus to celebrate Midwinter.

"Thank you for teaching her that carol," Kel said, watching her daughter. Another carriage stopped behind theirs.

"Uncle Neal!" Tia cried, running towards the carriage.

"And Uncle Raoul," a large man said, jumping out of the carriage. Buri followed him, and then Neal's family. Raoul lifted Tia into the air and spun her in a circle. Kel and Dom watched from nearby, her head leaning on his shoulder.

"My lord," Dom said with a nod.

"Captain," Raoul returned. He clapped Dom on the back. "It's good to see you, Dom."

"Glad you could come. My mum is going to love this big family Midwinter."

"She certainly is," Lady Willany said, pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders. "Everyone come inside. I have warm cider and cookies."

Dom strayed behind. His life was vastly different than it was a year before. Instead of being alone and miserable, he now had everything he'd ever wanted. All the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place.

He gazed out over the snow-covered meadow, remembering his first pony.

"Thank you, Cailan," he said softly. "Thank you for everything."

For a moment, the sparkling of the sunlight on the hill reminded Dom of his brother's merry, winking eyes.

"Are you coming, Da?" Tia called. "Grandmother says we need you to start the Midwinter caroling."

Dom grinned at his daughter. He grabbed her hand and they skipped together into Masbolle castle.

_"Ding dong merrily on high,_  
_Midwinter bells are ringing!"_


End file.
